Tri-State's statement on Colorado Public Utilities Commission Recommended Decision
(July 10, 2020 – Westminster, Colo.) – Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association's Chief Executive Officer Duane Highley made the following comments regarding the Recommended Decision issued by the Colorado Public Utilities Commission Administrative Law Judge on a complaint filed by United Power and La Plata Electric Association.
"If this decision is allowed to stand, more than $1 billion in costs will be unjustly added to our members' electricity bills in Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico and Wyoming. In an effort to save money for themselves, United Power and LPEA are a step closer to forcing costs they agreed to pay onto smaller, less wealthy utilities and their rural consumers. Our efforts to protect the interests of all our cooperative members and their electricity consumers will continue both at the Colorado Public Utilities Commission and at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission."
United Power and LPEA freely signed long-term power contracts with Tri-State in 2007, and agreed to share the costs of power supply with Tri-State's other utility members through the terms of their contracts, which end in 2050. In September 2019, the two utilities filed complaints asking the CPUC to set a cost to terminate their contracts early.
Many of Tri-State's members attempted to intervene into the proceedings, but were denied. This denial effectively silenced a large majority of the Tri-State's members who will be financially harmed if the decision is left to stand.
The parties in the case have 20 days to file Exemptions to the Recommended Decision with the Colorado Public Utilities Commission. The full commission will then consider the complaint.
About Tri-State
Tri-State is a not-for-profit cooperative of 45 members, including 42 member utility electric distribution cooperatives and public power districts in four states, that together deliver reliable, affordable and responsible power to more than a million electricity consumers across nearly 200,000 square miles of the West. For more information about Tri-State and our Responsible Energy Plan, visit www.tristate.coop.
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Contact:
Lee Boughey, 303-254-3555, lboughey@tristategt.org
Mark Stutz, 303-254-3183, mstutz@tristategt.org
Certain information contained in this press statement are forward-looking statements including statements concerning Tri-State’s plans, future events, and other information that is not historical information. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including those described from time to time in Tri-State’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Tri-State’s expectations and beliefs are expressed in good faith, and Tri-State believes there is a reasonable basis for them. However, Tri-State cannot assure you that management’s expectations and beliefs will be achieved. There are a number of risks, uncertainties and other important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements contained herein.